A spatial code governs olfactory receptor choice and aligns sensory maps in the nose and brain

# A spatial code governs olfactory receptor choice and aligns sensory maps in the nose and brain *Published: 2026 Apr 28* bioRxiv. 2025 May 08:2025.05.02.651738. doi: 10.1101/2025.05.02.651738. Although topographical maps organize many peripheral sensory systems, mouse olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are thought to randomly choose which one of ∼1,100 possible olfactory receptors (ORs) to express, with spatial organization in the olfactory epithelium limited to a handful of broad anatomical "zones" that modestly restrict OR choice. Here, we reveal that each OR is instead expressed at a unique mean dorsoventral position, thereby instantiating a stereotyped receptor map in the olfactory epithelium. OSN dorsoventral identities are encoded by a coherent gene expression program, which includes key transcription factors and axon guidance molecules; use of this program reflects a dorsoventral gradient in retinoic acid signaling, translates each physical location into a spatially appropriate distribution of potential OR choices, and aligns receptor maps in the nose and brain. Spatial order in the olfactory system, therefore, arises from a continuously varying transcriptional code that precisely organizes the many discrete channels responsible for smell. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.03.051